Hege Søfteland
Encyclopedia
Hege Søfteland is a Norwegian nationalist politician and immigration opponent.
A former member of the Conservative Party
and Progress Party
, she has since the late 1980s been present in numerous anti-immigration, far-right and nationalist parties. She was a member of Stop Immigration
until 1989 when she was excluded together with Erik Gjems-Onstad
and her cohabitant Torfinn Hellandsvik. For the 1991 election she led the short-lived National Democrats
, and was later active in the National Alliance
, as well as the organization Norwegian League. She is currently a member of the Democrats
, and ran for the 2009 election as the party's 7th candidate in Oslo
.
At a 1992 television debate, she refused to handshake Aslam Ahsan
, leader of the Pakistani Labour Union, and among other things stated that "Gro Harlem Brundtland
is the biggest country betrayer since World War II
". She has otherwise compared immigration to Norway with the Nazi occupation of Norway, and made clearly racist remarks. She is a self-declared nationalist, but as the newspaper Aftenposten
had called the infamous 1995 Norwegian League meeting at Godlia kino
a "Nazi meeting", she however denied being a racist, and said that it is "terribly stigmatising to be called a Nazi [...] because we are critical of the Norwegian immigration policy".
A former member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Norway
The Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. The current leader is Erna Solberg. The party was since the 1920s consistently the second largest party in Norway, but has been surpassed by the growth of the Progress Party in the late 1990s and 2000s...
and Progress Party
Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
, she has since the late 1980s been present in numerous anti-immigration, far-right and nationalist parties. She was a member of Stop Immigration
Stop Immigration
Stop Immigration was a political party in Norway, founded by Jack Erik Kjuus in 1987. The party was never particularly successful, and its only elected representative was in the Drammen city council, in both 1991 and 1995. The party was succeeded by the White Electoral Alliance in...
until 1989 when she was excluded together with Erik Gjems-Onstad
Erik Gjems-Onstad
Erik-Ørn Gjems-Onstad, MBE was a Norwegian resistance member, officer, lawyer, politician and anti-immigration activist. When Nazi Germany invaded Norway in 1940, Gjems-Onstad travelled to England to join the Norwegian resistance movement...
and her cohabitant Torfinn Hellandsvik. For the 1991 election she led the short-lived National Democrats
National Democrats (Norway, 1991)
The National Democrats was a political party in Norway, which was founded in January 1990. The party was led by Hege Søfteland, who had been excluded from Stop Immigration...
, and was later active in the National Alliance
National Alliance (Norway)
The National Alliance was a Norwegian political party which was founded on 25 February 1999.-History:The two main forces behind the party was Arnljot Moseng and Kjell Tore Vogsland . Both of these, along with vice leaders Kenneth Hartmann and Tore Petersen had a past in the Fatherland Party...
, as well as the organization Norwegian League. She is currently a member of the Democrats
Demokratene
The Democrats in Norway , formerly and commonly known as the Democrats, is a Norwegian political party. The party was formed in 2002, chiefly by former Progress Party members. It is led by Vidar Kleppe, a former Deputy Leader and Member of Parliament for the Progress Party...
, and ran for the 2009 election as the party's 7th candidate in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
At a 1992 television debate, she refused to handshake Aslam Ahsan
Aslam Ahsan
Mohammed Aslam Ahsan Chaudhary is a Pakistani Norwegian politician for the Labour Party.Born in Punjab, British India, he migrated to Sweden in May 1971 and to Oslo, Norway in August the same year. He took a job in the industry, and became active in his trade union...
, leader of the Pakistani Labour Union, and among other things stated that "Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
is the biggest country betrayer since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
". She has otherwise compared immigration to Norway with the Nazi occupation of Norway, and made clearly racist remarks. She is a self-declared nationalist, but as the newspaper Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
had called the infamous 1995 Norwegian League meeting at Godlia kino
1995 Norwegian League meeting at Godlia kino
The 1995 Norwegian Association meeting at Godlia kino was a meeting that was held on 2 September 1995, right before the electoral campaign for the 1995 local elections...
a "Nazi meeting", she however denied being a racist, and said that it is "terribly stigmatising to be called a Nazi [...] because we are critical of the Norwegian immigration policy".